Anticipation met with Expectation

I believe every one at some point in time wonders if God has heard your prayer.  We wonder to the point that we repeat the same prayer over and over again, this time with much more intensity.  At least I do sometimes.  Especially in situations that it seems that He is taking so long to answer me.  I ran across a scripture today as I was reading in the book of Isaiah. 

'Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear'.  Isaiah 65:24

Your relationship with the Lord should be number one above any other relationship.  Let me say that again...your relationship with the Lord should be number one above any other relationship.  That means husband, wife, children, mother, father, sister, brother.... No one should come before God.  The way this thing called life works is God first, everybody else second.  Now you may be thinking, "Okay Ramona I get it."  But do you really?  God desires to be first in your life.  He longs to have a personal, intimate relationship with you.  He wants you to tell Him your innermost secrets.  He wants you to bring Him all your wants, your needs. Tell Him your hearts' desire. That thing you can't share with anyone else.  He doesn't want to hear it second hand or on the internet.  He wants you to take time out of your daily schedule and talk to Him.  Why?  So that He can provide for us what we need.  There is no other motive.  It is for your benefit.  In fact He anticipates that you will come to Him.  He knows what is going on with you already anyway and He wants to help.  That is what prayer is for.  Christians must learn how to pray in order to experience the fullness of communion with God. Why do you think we are told to 'pray continuously' or 'pray always'? 

Most of us have been taught that we must say the right words or somehow get God's attention for our prayers to be answered.  It is as though prayer is our idea, when in fact it isn't. Unless I am reading this wrong, this verse says that before I even utter my first word in prayer, God is already ready to answer.  He is in fact sitting there anticipating my call. He has already prepared an answer.  It's because God knows me better than anyone else.  This is such good news.  It means I don't have to sit and worry about if God is going to meet my need.  In fact I like to look at it this way....Anticipation met with Expectation.  God is anticipating hearing from His child and His child is expecting God to meet the need.  I don't know about you but when I know that the person I am calling is excited about hearing from me, it makes the call a little easier.  I am running to the phone to call.  This is how it should be with God.  I don't have to worry about the shame I feel from messing up and living a less than perfect life even as a child of God.  I can tell Him my deepest fears, what causes me anxiety, my wishes for my husband, my children, those nearest and dearest to my heart. I don't have to worry about it going in one ear and out the other.  I am never ignored.  After all, it was God himself who asked for the conversation.  That is why we can go boldly before the throne of grace. It is there that we may obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Let's stop thinking of prayer as a chore.  God desires to bless you.  He wants to meet your need. He desires to change you from the inside out.  He knows what is best for you.  Maybe you don't pray everyday, why not start today?  God is sitting there waiting for you to talk to Him. Whatever it is that you are looking for God's got it.  We, as Christians, have got to start using our resources.  You have direct access to an All-Powerful God.  Call Him up!

O Most Gracious and Heavenly Father, all praise, honor and glory be to you on this day.  Again I want to thank you for imparting your wisdom to me through Your Word.  Many days I have risen without so much as a good morning Lord. Thank you for waking me up.  I have went to bed without so much as a "Thank you for helping me make it through another day" and there you were sitting there waiting for me to talk to you.  I am sorry Lord.  I am going to do better.  It makes me feel good that You want to hear what is going on in my life.  Lord I wanter a deeper, more intimate relationship with You.  Open my ears so that I may hear you speak to me and open my eyes as You direct my path.  I want to be more like You.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen.